“Now Moses… led his flock… and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet not consumed. Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
“Then the Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them… and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land flowing with milk and honey… Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people… out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘But I will be with you…’
“Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I am has sent me to you.”’ Exodus 3:1-8,10-14
Moses was confounded by the entrance of God into his mundane routine. The Lord waited to see his first inquiring move, then spoke. Though eager to interact, Moses was reticent to accept God’s command because he was consumed with unknowns, inadequacies, and fear. God’s answer to every reluctance and doubt was, ‘I am.’ Who was Moses? A murderer. But God, He calls and redeems. Who was Moses? A reluctant stutterer. But the Lord, He gives purpose and enables. (Exodus 2:11-12; 4:10-13)
Sometimes we get stuck in ‘I am who I am, weak and unable.’ But God retorts with, ‘I am who I am, sufficient and mighty. I have bigger plans for you that you can’t conceive. I’m sending you on a new errand. I will be with you. Start to live in Me, not you.’ What grandeur the Lord opens wide we can fail to enter because we’re afraid to step forward in faith.
How and in what areas are we self-consumed? With ambitions, belongings, busyness, family? The past, regrets, shame, unfulfilled dreams? We might constantly measure ourselves against others and come up short on looks, energy, popularity, success. Anything that takes precedence over the burning bush, that causes resistance to removing our sandals rather than embracing a new call from God, will impede spiritual progress.
What inadequacies and insecurities occupy our attention? How can we think not less of ourselves, but of ourselves less, and more of God? The greater He is in us, the more we can effect for His kingdom. (John 3:30)
Less of me, more of Thee, to Your glory, Lord.
As the rain and snow 